The present invention generally relates to fluid seals and more particularly to a static sealing system suitable for use in conjunction with a dynamic sealing system. The primary function of the static sealing system is to provide watertight integrity to an underwater vehicle propulsion system during long-term wet storage.
Presently, some underwater propulsion vehicles use carbon face seal rings on their drive systems for maintaining watertight integrity. These work fine under dynamic conditions and for short time static conditions of no more than three weeks. However, there are advantages in long-term wet storage for a period in excess of three weeks. Under these conditions the systems depending on carbon face seal rings are prone to leakage.